


Lessons in Meeting Others

by nychus



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 03:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15787818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nychus/pseuds/nychus
Summary: Ignis gives Noctis an impromptu lesson on approaching strangers in bars. It *kinda* goes to plan?





	Lessons in Meeting Others

Autumn had officially fallen in Insomnia. The cooler winds meant more and more couples were huddling in close together, holding hands, or sharing warm drinks. Noctis wondered if it was always like this and he’d never paid attention before. Logic told him that was the truth but teenage hormones told him that the world was laughing at him because he couldn’t have that.

He sighed as he followed the object of his affection home from the arcade. Ignis had brought him a scarf since he was going to be in the area and Noctis decided he’d just head home when Ignis did. When his errands were finished, Ignis stopped back by to collect the prince and together they made the chilly walk back to Noctis’s apartment.

At least there was a promise of warm vegetable stew and homemade bread.

Noctis deftly maneuvered around the offending veggies as he contemplated the question he wanted to ask.

“How do you tell someone you like them?” Noctis eventually asked. Ignis looked up from the paper he was reading, clearly confused at the sudden question. “I mean, let’s say there’s this girl” –girl felt safe as Ignis wasn’t one and that would ideally be his choice for a future partner— “and I’ve known her for a while but I honestly have no idea if she likes guys or girls. How do I figure that out?”

“You could always ask her,” Ignis said with a kind smile.

“But it feels like something I should already know,” Noctis answered. This was true. He knew absolutely nothing about Ignis’s dating life. “I don’t want to offend her by assuming one thing when it’s the other.”

“Beyond asking other friends, I don’t see how you can’t ask her. Otherwise, you may not find out until it’s too late.”

Noctis thought about that while also very aware that Ignis was watching him intently. He was probably trying to think of all the girls he knew to figure out who this mysterious person was.

“What about strangers?” Noctis asked after a moment.

“Strangers?”

“Like, at a club or something. How do you figure that out?”

“Observation, perhaps?” Ignis said. “But questioning is the fastest and most reliable way.”

“Hmm.”

“Is there anything you want to talk about, Noct?” Ignis asked. Noctis knew his friend was offering up advice to help navigate these waters but as these were waters Noctis wanted to jump into with Ignis, it made it difficult.

“Is that what you do? Just ask?”

“In my own way, yes.”

“Hmm.”

~*~*~*~*~

Noctis wasn’t sure if he was glad to know Ignis had some sort of dating life or not after that conversation. In a sense, it was good to know as maybe Noctis had a chance. But, who had Ignis been with? Why hadn’t he told Noctis?

And most importantly, why couldn’t Ignis see how much Noctis wanted him?

He tried not to dwell on it but he wasn’t very good. Prompto started asking questions and Ignis would occasionally ask some too, but he was more unobtrusive about it. Noctis answered both of them with shakes of heads and emphatic “I don’t want to talk about it”s.

It was nice when Noctis got a chance to go out on Friday evenings; gave him a chance to unwind. Often when the invitations from classmates came, he had other obligations of the princely variety. He was always a little jealous of Prompto being able to go and then telling him about the night later.

This Friday, Noctis was happily sitting in one of Insomnia’s clubs that catered to the youngest subset of adults. Those in their late teens who weren’t quite out of high school or had just started college. Those who either weren’t old enough to drink or had friends that weren’t. It was a place that served both soda and beer and the bar tenders were very strict on age limits.

The music was loud and the dance floor was full of young bodies happy to have made it to the weekend. Noctis was sitting at the bar with a few of the guys from his class, talking, laughing, and enjoying the evening. Various classmates would come and go for the bathroom or to dance, but Noctis was genuinely happy to sit at the bar and people watch. He had watched Prompto get dragged into the dance floor as he was returning from the bathroom. Noctis laughed as he turned around to order another drink only to find one already sitting there.

The confusion must have shown on his face because the bartender just nodded down the bar and said someone bought it for him.

Looking in the direction the bartender pointed, Noctis was shocked to see Ignis watching him. As soon as their eyes met, Ignis gave a little nod. Noctis didn’t have a chance to react before his classmates leaned over.

“Dude, he’s hot!” one of them said, elbowing Noctis in the side.

“If you don’t want him, send him my way!” another said.

The continued to rib at Noctis until Ignis walked over.

“Apologies if I seemed presumptuous in ordering you a refill, but I wanted a chance to say hello. My name is Ignis, may I join you?” Ignis asked indicating the empty seat next to Noctis.

“Uh, yeah,” Noctis eventually managed to get out. He couldn’t figure out what Ignis was playing at. Why was he coming over here like they didn’t know each other? Then he got a look from Ignis and somehow that look made everything click: Ignis was showing him how to approach a stranger at a club. “I’m Noct.”

“A pleasure,” Ignis smiled and Astrals did Noctis want him to smile like that all the time. Behind him he could hear his friends make a few more comments before saying they’d be dancing if he needed them. “I did not intend to run your friends off.”

“It’s fine, they’d just be annoying.”

“If you want to go dancing, I understand.”

“No, I hate dancing. I like to sit and people watch,” Noctis said. He was having a hard time looking Ignis in the eye, letting his gaze move just about everywhere but up to the face. He did notice, however, that Ignis had positioned himself on the seat so that their knees were almost touching. “Though, I suppose I wasn’t paying much attention as I hadn’t noticed you.”

Was that smooth? Probably not, but it was said. Maybe Ignis would give him notes afterward so that he could improve his technique. That would be a very Ignis thing to do.

Still, the line got a laugh out of Ignis. “My companions and I just arrived. I noticed you when I went to order a drink and I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

Noctis was glad for the heat of all the people in the club because surely that would be the reason Ignis would think his face was so red. “Do you come here often?”

 _Oh, no, did you just ask that?_ flashed through Noctis’s head and he hoped to the gods he didn’t outwardly cringe. At least it earned another chuckle but Noctis could tell for sure that he was going to get notes on how to improve now. Probably the first thing on the list would be “Don’t ask that question.”

Ignis went with it though. “This is one of the places my friends and I frequent, yes, but we aren’t here all the time. This is one of the noisier clubs and usually was just want to relax.”

“What’s different about tonight?”

“It was a long day and many had pent up energy they needed to release. I almost didn’t join them but I am glad that I did.”

“Me too,” Noctis smiled. “I don’t usually get to come out with my friends, but how nice it worked out tonight I could.”

“Indeed.”

They sat there and talked for the rest of the evening. The spoke about nothing of importance; just getting to know each other as if they truly did just meet. Questions asked about school or work were kept vague as to not bring up either were connected to the crown. It was fun, refreshing, and it made Noctis wish this was how he had actually met Ignis; that this could be their new reality.

When it was edging towards midnight, Prompto came over to see what Noctis was going to do about getting home. He acknowledged Ignis politely but gave no indication that they knew each other. Ignis probably talked with Prompto before all of this mess started. Noctis was just going to walk home as his apartment wasn’t far off. Ignis offered to walk with him and that gave Prompto pause. He actually glared at Ignis as if he was protecting his best friend from a predator.

Noctis pulled Prompto close so he could say, “Relax. You know someone’s always watching and besides I haven’t been doing all that training for nothing.” Then quieter, “Besides, it’s Ignis.”

“Okay,” Prompto said pulling away, “but you text me as soon as you get home. Picture text! And if you’re not home within twenty minutes, I’m coming after you.” Prompto glared daggers before finally walking away.

“That’s not a jealous lover, is it?” Ignis asked as they stood.

“WHAT?! No!” Noctis laughed. “He’s my best friend and overly protective of me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Definitely. I’d be the same with him.”

Ignis stepped away long enough to inform his friends that he was leaving and as Noctis was headed out the door, he couldn’t help but notice his classmates giving him thumbs ups as he followed Ignis.

In the cold night air, Noctis wrapped his scarf tightly around his face and wondered how long Ignis was going to keep this charade up. Ignis allowed Noctis to lead the way home but neither said anything. When they reached Noctis’s building, he stopped and looked at Ignis.

“Well, this is me. I…don’t suppose you’d like to come up?”

Noctis, of course, had meant it as him asking Ignis, his friend, but Ignis just shook his head but had a sly grin.

“I do believe a proper date should occur before entering an apartment, so I must decline. I have had a wonderful evening, Noct, and I do hope we run into each other again.” Ignis gave a little nod and turned to leave.

Thinking fast, Noctis yelled, “Brunch?!” This caused Ignis to pause and turn. Noctis tried again, a bit calmer. “Brunch? Would you like to meet for brunch on Sunday? There’s a lovely café near here, Wild Hare, and I’ve wanted to try their brunch menu. It’s supposed to be really good. So, would you like to have brunch? Sunday at, 10:30?”

For a moment, it looked that Ignis was going to decline; maybe the charade was done. But then that smile that Noctis loved so much crossed his features. “Sunday at 10:30 at the Wild Hare Café. It’s a date.”

“Okay, great, I’ll see you there.”

With that, they bid farewell and Noctis returned to his apartment. He immediately texted Prompto and got a call back half a second later.

“Dude, what was that all about?!” Prompto asked by way of greeting. “Ignis was totally hitting on you!”

“Ignis was just trying to teach me the ways of meeting people in clubs.”

“Funny way to do it.”

“What about you? You didn’t act weird about it at all.”

“Oh, he stopped me and asked that I pretend not to know him. He had something he wanted to show or prove or…I don’t remember the correct wording, but damn, dude, that was amazing. All the guys are gonna think you got some tonight.”

“Haaaa ha,” Noctis said with a roll of the eyes (though secretly he kind of wished he was). “It’s Ignis.”

“Yeah, but they don’t know that,” Prompto pointed out. That was true, Ignis did very little with his school and so his classmates had no idea that they would know each other. As he was still underage, much of his life was kept away from the media and that included those close to him. Ignis’s connection to Noctis was virtually unknown outside of the Citadel.

When Noctis went to bed that evening, he tried to find sleep immediately but found he couldn’t stop thinking about his impending date with Ignis.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday was spent forcing himself to think of anything but the following day’s date. It was easy during training. The smallest distraction would give Gladio an opening and as much as he loved landing on his ass multiple times in an hour, Noctis stayed focused.

It was harder to concentrate on schoolwork though. He could work through some problems and then his mind would drift. There was a lot of pep talks to keep going with studying.

When Noctis finally allowed himself to think about the date, it was to figure out what to wear. As he looked through is closet he realized he had absolutely no idea. What does one wear on a brunch date? He pulled out several shirts to look at them before tossing a bunch on the bed and frustration.

He wanted to call Ignis. Ignis would know what to wear but Ignis was his date. He deliberated for some time before he finally picked up the phone and called his friend.

“Highness?” Ignis answered.

 _Good_ , Noctis thought, _keep it professional._

“Hey, Iggy, I need some advice if you have a moment.”

“Of course, how can I help?”

“I know that this isn’t the kind of advice you are really training for as it’s not about policy or anything, but I’ve got a date tomorrow and I have no idea what to wear.”

“Oh,” Ignis answered and Noctis chewed on his lip for a moment. Would Ignis play along? “What kind of date? Dinner? Movie?”

He breathed a sigh of relief, “Brunch actually. I’m meeting him at Wild Hare and we’re gonna have brunch.”

“Him?” Ignis questioned. “I must say I wasn’t aware that you were interested in men.”

“Yeah, well… How do I dress? I figure casual, but how casual?”

Ignis muttered to himself for a moment while he looked up the morning’s weather. Overcast and chilly apparently. “You have several fitted sweaters to choose from.”

“Yeah,” Noctis said, moving to the drawer that had his sweaters. He started pulling them out to look at them.

“Pick your favorite and then some slacks to match. And actual slacks, Noctis. Not those cargo pants you are so fond of.”

“You like my cargos,” Noctis muttered as pulled out a dark blue sweater.

“But will your date?”

Noctis almost said yes, but decided against it. “Sweater and slacks to match. I can figure out shoes.”

“Have I provided sufficient advice?”

“Yeah…yeah, you have. Thanks, Specs.”

“Anytime, Noct,” Ignis responded and Noctis could hear the fond smile in his voice. “Anything else?”

“No. I just…I just really hope want him to like me.”

“He will,” Ignis assured Noctis as the prince realized what he had said. Before he could be too horrified, however, Ignis bid farewell and Noctis was allowed to fall face first into his bed and scream into the mattress.

~*~*~*~*~

He almost canceled. He almost called Ignis and said he couldn’t do this, but he still managed to force his way to the café just before 10:30. Ignis hadn’t arrived yet and it looked like the tables were beginning to fill up, so Noctis erred on the side of caution and asked to be seated.

He had barely had a chance to open the menu when Ignis had joined him. They exchanged pleasantries and decided on what they wanted to eat. They made no mention of it being a date until the waitress had taken their orders. It was still a hard conversation to start. There were many false starts before Ignis finally found the words.

“I almost cancelled,” Ignis said as he stared at his coffee cup. “I knew I was playing with fire the moment I thought to show you how you could approach someone in a club. I honestly wanted it to just be a lesson, to give you tips, and give you some confidence in approaching others.”

“What happened?” Noctis asked. He heard the words that Ignis said and he knew the meaning he wanted them to have but he couldn’t believe that they would. “Why didn’t you cancel?”

Ignis smiled and slid a hand across the table to lightly grip one of Noctis’s. “Last night, you said you really wanted me to like you. I thought I might actually have a chance.”

He couldn’t help it, Noctis laughed. It wasn’t the right response, that was obvious by the way Ignis recoiled, but there was no stopping the sound.

“You thought you’d have a chance?” he asked incredulously. “You **thought** you had a chance?! Sweet Astrals, Ignis, you are so far above me it’s not even funny. You are the smart, beautiful, wonderful man who could have anyone. Me? I’m just a scrawny prince who never feels good enough for anyone.”

“Noctis, I would use the same words to describe you,” Ignis said with a soft smile. He reached his hand back out to grasp Noctis’s. “I do all I can to feel worthy of you. It seems strange that you would think you weren’t worthy of me.”

“Yeah, well, pay attention to yourself more.” Noctis gave that crooked grin of his.

Their food came and they laughed at the absurdity of it all while they ate. Both had developed feelings for the other over the last couple of years and both were too afraid to act on it. Ignis admitted he was jealous of the mysterious girl Noctis had said he liked and Noctis added he hated the thought of Ignis having a dating life. Noctis was assured that none of the dates were serious; Ignis had tried to use them to forget about the prince but they had all failed. Noctis felt a little smug at that.

Noctis paid for the meal, as it was his idea, and they left the café together.

“Do you know how hard it was for me to turn you down the other night?” Ignis asked as they walked towards Noctis’s apartment. Noctis had leaned in close to Ignis’s body for extra warmth. “I wanted to follow you home and pepper you with kisses.”

“Nothing stopping you from doing that now,” Noctis grinned. “We’ve had a date now.”

“But if I go home with you I might not get any work done today,” Ignis said. He seemed to be thinking hard and weighing his options. Finally, he answered, “I suppose that’s a risk I’ll just have to take.”

With a laugh, Noctis wrapped his arm through Ignis’s and pulled their bodies as close as possible. Yeah, autumn was a fantastic time to have someone to cuddle with. He was pretty sure that Ignis would agree.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these boys.


End file.
